Chelsea maintained their 100 per cent start to the Premier League season with a 2-0 victory over Stoke at Stamford Bridge.
Malouda and Drogba on target against Stoke
Chelsea maintained their 100 per cent start to the Premier League season with a 2-0 victory over Stoke at Stamford Bridge.
Having scored six goals in each of their opening two games, Chelsea were made to work much harder for their three points before a fine finish from Florent Malouda and a Didier Drogba penalty condemned the Potters to a third successive defeat.
The Blues seemed determined to put on another show for their supporters early on and dominated from the outset.
Frank Lampard squandered a chance to break the deadlock from the penalty spot after Malouda had been brought down by Ryan Shawcross, with Thomas Sorensen saving his tame effort.
But the Blues were not to be denied for long and Malouda slotted past Sorensen on 32 minutes after being released through the centre by a clever John Terry pass.
Stoke looked stronger after the interval and nearly equalised when Glenn Whelan's thunderous long-range effort struck the crossbar, but the game was put to bed in the 77th minute after Chelsea won a second spot-kick.
Drogba showed Lampard how it should be done with a powerful strike to keep the Blues top of the Premier League table.
Classy
Chelsea's starting line-up showed just one change with Paulo Ferreira coming in for full-back Branislav Ivanovic, who was suffering from a back injury.
For Stoke, goalkeeper Asmir Begovic, linked with Chelsea and reported to have refused to play against Shrewsbury in the Carling Cup in midweek, was on the bench.
But while it was not the goal rout of recent weeks, Chelsea were by far the classier side, giving warning of what was to come within five minutes when Michael Essien split the Stoke defence with a pass into the path of Ashley Cole to set up a chance the England full-back pulled wide.
Stoke also had their chances early on, Dean Whitehead bringing a sharp save from Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech with a snap shot following a neat one-two with Kenwyne Jones and Jon Walters lifting a lob on to the top of the Chelsea net.
It would have made it even easier for Chelsea, of course, if Lampard had not missed that penalty on 10 minutes after Shawcross brought down Malouda.
It was a poor spot-kick, side-footed to Sorensen's left-hand side and the Stoke goalkeeper had no problem falling on the ball.
Sorensen also punched away a savagely-struck free-kick from Drogba in a first half which could easily have turned into another goal landslide.
Much of that was to do with Essien and Lampard who ran the midfield with precision passing and fluent movement. It was no surprise when the breakthrough came in the 32nd minute.
This time captain Terry provided the killer pass, threading a ball through for Malouda to run on to and smash a right-foot shot past Sorensen for his fourth goal of the season.
Bedazzled
When this Chelsea side get ahead they are difficult to catch. Carlo Ancelotti does not apply the brakes like Jose Mourinho, who was content to shut up shop from a winning position.
They surge forward looking for more goals, none more so than Cole who met a ball floated into the box acrobatically on the volley only to see his shot rattle the Stoke bar and rebound to safety.
Sorensen was required again in the second-half, most notably to save a point-blank header from Drogba following a floated cross from Anelka.
To Stoke's credit they did not capitulate. They dug in with substitute Whelan giving them more bite and direction.
Indeed, he provided the shot of the second half, giving Chelsea something of a fright when he stepped forward and cracked a 25-yard shot against Cech's crossbar only to see the ball bounce down and away to safety.
But the game was sealed for Chelsea when Sorensen was bedazzled by Anelka's pace and Drogba slotted home from the penalty spot.
There was just time for Daniel Sturridge, on his 21st birthday, to come on for Anelka and Brazilian midfielder Ramires to make his debut from the bench.
So Chelsea march on. 14 league goals scored. None conceded. They look unstoppable.
| Chelsea |
Team Statistics |
Stoke City |
| 2 |
Goals |
0 |
| 1 |
1st Half Goals |
0 |
| 7 |
Shots on Target |
1 |
| 9 |
Shots off Target |
7 |
| 5 |
Blocked Shots |
2 |
| 6 |
Corners |
1 |
| 6 |
Fouls |
10 |
| 2 |
Offsides |
1 |
| 0 |
Yellow Cards |
2 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 88.2 |
Passing Success |
69.7 |
| 12 |
Tackles |
19 |
| 83.3 |
Tackles Success |
63.2 |
| 74.1 |
Possession |
25.9 |
| 54.8 |
Territorial Advantage |
45.2 |
|
